Keeping the superintendent search open

In November 2010 then-superintendent Randy Bridges announced he would be leaving the Alamance-Burlington School System in December. He did so to take a position with a much larger school district in densely populated northern Virginia. It was a step up, and a healthy one. Good career move for Bridges, a lamentable, but predictable loss for the school system.

At that time, the ABSS Board of Education set guidelines for how it would proceed. It would hire an interim superintendent then give itself up to six months or more to find a quality replacement. Back then, we advised the board to choose wisely and endorsed its proposal to take the time required to do the job well.

Today, the ABSS Board of Education finds itself once again in the market for a superintendent — easily the most daunting task any elected school board faces. The circumstances are a little different this time, but the goal is no less the same. Finding the best possible candidate is paramount. Taking the proper amount of time is to be expected

So far, the board is headed in a positive direction in that regard. Board chairman Tony Rose has set up a similar method to that used in 2010 and 2011 when it hired Lillie Cox, who is leaving at the end of June under murky circumstances. She resigned, but was given $200,000 to do so in a move steeped in controversy that has roiled the community. The agreement between a sharply divided board and Cox is shrouded in secrecy and both sides have agreed not to say bad things about the other. Three board members have voiced strident disagreement with the four in the majority over the entire affair.

Trying to push the dark cloud overhead aside, the board is now working to hire a replacement for Cox. It has named an acting superintendent, in case an interim hasn’t been installed by the time of Cox’s departure on June 30. And it’s also trying to determine what firm or organization the board will hire to help with the cumbersome search process.

As we have stated many times before when local governments are in the process of hiring the most important jobs, transparency would be welcomed. This is what we wrote in 2010 after Bridges announced his departure.

“Due diligence is the proper course from this point on. Finding a quality replacement will take time, energy and lots of discussion. The talks should be as open as possible and include the public whenever such a thing can be accommodated. When a group of finalists is finally known to the board, we suggest the list become known to all. The more parents, teachers and taxpayers know about a group of likely candidates before a superintendent is actually selected, the better. In fact, we rather like the idea of forums where folks can meet those under consideration. It’s apparently worked in other school systems, so there’s no reason why it couldn’t be done in Alamance County.”

Page 2 of 2 - We continue to stand behind that statement.

The ABSS board has an opportunity now to move forward into the sunlight after recent decisions rendered in the shadowy world of closed meetings. Select a search firm that will do the job efficiently, at a reasonable price and with the provision that it will facilitate an open process. Make the names of finalists available for public inspection and do so well before a final choice is made so parents and taxpayers can reach an informed opinion about the candidates.

Doing so may go a long way toward restoring some faith among some of the board’s more skeptical critics.

In 2010 we ended our advice to the board this way.

“The Board of Education has a huge task in front of it at a pivotal time for education in the county. Here’s hoping they’re up to the challenge.”